November 25, 2013

Amazon Reportedly Working On High-Res Kindle Paperwhite

After recently releasing the latest model of their popular Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, Amazon is reportedly prepping a high-resolution version of the device for release in the second quarter of 2014.

According to Matthew Panzarino of TechCrunch, the e-reader will boast a 300 pixels per inch screen made out of glass instead of plastic, as well as hardware improvements such as a front screen that is flush with the edges of the unit. It is also said to be lighter than the currently available Paperwhite model.

“The new screen will put Amazon on technical par with the 265ppi Kobo Aura HD, which formerly boasted of the highest-resolution display available in an e-reader. The Kindle Paperwhite released in October features a 212ppi screen,” CNET's Steven Musil reported on Sunday.

“No major software upgrades are planned for the new model, but Amazon is said to be developing a new custom font specially designed for the device,” he added. “The company is also reportedly working on an option that will allow text to break with hyphens at the end of lines rather than a ragged right presentation.”

Panzarino added that the unit’s edges will feature some type of squeezable buttons which will provide haptic feedback when activated, allowing users to change pages without needing to tap on-screen buttons. He added that the rear casing will resemble the design of the most recent Kindle Fire HDX, boasting a more angular design and featuring a rear power button that looks similar to those on the company’s tablets.

Furthermore, Ubergizmo’s Adnan Farooqui reports that the new Kindle Paperwhite is expected to have an ambient light sensor that will automatically detect the amount of light in the current environment, and adjust the brightness accordingly. At this time, the company has not released any pricing information about the e-reader, Farooqui added.

“We’re still several months away from when this new Kindle would debut, so there may be alterations to its design or functionality between now and then, but these are the items currently on the agenda,” Panzarino said, adding that Amazon is also reportedly working on “a couple of smartphone offerings we’ve detailed previously. Both a budget model and a crazy-sounding high-end device with six cameras in total are being developed.”

The current Paperwhite model, which began shipping on September 30, includes a backlight, high-definition, touch-enabled display and a processor that is 25-percent faster than its predecessor. The device went on sale for $119 ($139 for the ad-free version) and was also available in a 3G version.